LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

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INDEPENDENT FULL GOSPEL CHURCH
Fredonia, Iowa

Transcribed by Jackie Terry, August 12, 2016

        In the summer of 1956 the founders of the Full Gospel Church, Reverend and Mrs. C. W. Walker, conducted a revival in the Columbus City Town Hall. After the meeting about 40 people responded with a desire to help start the Church. There was no building available, hower, and by the time one was found the people had all scattered.

        In the spring of 1957 the Columbus Community School District put the Fredonia Independent School building up for sale by sealed bids. Although others had intended to submit bids, Reverent Walker was the only bidder and his offer of $1,111 was accepted.

        The property consisted of five lots, a two-room school house with a front hall and porch, an old hand pitcher pump, two oil burning stoves, some school seats and desks, many discarded and unwanted items, a coal shed, and two outside toilets.

        The school building had not been used for several years; therefore, both it and the yard were badly in need of a face lift. During the summer and fall of 1957 the Walker family was very busy cleaning, mowing, and painting. They focused their efforts on the south room of the school house for the Church sanctuary. All of the unneeded items were shoved into the north room. Old theater seats were purchased and installed providing seating capacity for 50.

        The first service held in the new Church was on dedication day. The Reverend Virgil Elliott was the dedication speaker. On the following Sunday the Fredonia congregation consisted of only two families; the Pastor, Reverend C.W. Walker, his wife; Idabel; their sons, Melvin and Gary; Reverend Paul Septer, his wife, Jean; and their daughters, Pam and Kathy. Within a few months, however, the congregation averaged 15 to 25 people.

        The old coal shed was torn down to make room for the first dining hall which was built in the summer of 1960. There was no running water in the dining hall, so it was carried in pans and buckets from the old hand pump in the Church.

        The Fredonia Independent Church was incorporated on the 27th day of November, 1962. It was registered with the State of Iowa as the Independent Full Gospel Church, Inc., of Fredonia, Iowa on December 10, 1962. Charter members of the Board of Trustees were Reverend C.W. Walker, Gary Walker, Marvin Bates, Virgil Wheeler, and J.T Stines. Idabel Walker was the secretary and treasurer.

        In November of 1963 the Church Board voted to hire Marian Hargis of St. Louis, Missouri, to publish a little yellow song book entitled “Heaven Sent Song”. It contained 48 songs and poems that were written…

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…members of the Church. The songbook and its contents were copyrighted in November of 1965.

        The spring and summer of 1965 were spent remodeling the two-room school-Church building. Harvey Hemphill and Nelson Graham were hired to help Pastor Walker. A new restroom with “running water” was installed in the front hall and the old pitcher pump was discarded. The inside all of the Church sanctuary was moved approximately ten feet north. This provided room for three 10 foot by 10 foot Sunday School rooms. The floors were sanded in the Sunday School rooms and the sanctuary, and new linoleum was installed in the front hall. New theater seats were purchased and installed, providing seating capacity for 92. The impressive old light fixtures which used to hang in the court room of the Louisa County Court House were installed. These fixtures were purchased from the Louisa County Board of Supervisors for $1.00 each. The two old out-houses, which had suffered the overturning tricks of many years of Halloween pranksters, were now ready for a one-way trip to the dump. Pastor Walker was assisted by his son, Gary, until his fatal heart attack on December, 1971. Pastor Walker’s sudden death at the age of 51 years and 11 months was a severe shock to the family and to the Church. There was no reason to believe that he was ill because he was apparently enjoying the 14th anniversary celebration of the Church. That evening, as his son, Gary, was closing the service, Pastor Walker stood and asked Gary to go to the organ and play another song because God had another blessing for himself and the people. Gary started to play the song entitled “The Holy Ghost Will Set Your Feet to Dancing”, and Pastor Walker began to dance before the Lord along with many others. Immediately following the song, he slowly glanced over the congregation, turned, and knelt at his seat on the platform. According to others who were kneeling beside him, he began to pray. A short time later Gary gave the benediction to the capacity crowd; they shared in fellowship, and left. Pastor Walker was still in his kneeling position. Since no one wanted to disturb him, it was several minutes before it was discovered that something very serious had happened. Within 30 minutes, Dr. Carroll pronounced that the Church Founder and President, the Reverend C.W. Walker, had expired.

        Pastor Walker went to be with the Lord on the 14th anniversary – 14 years to the day – of his starting the Church. Gary Walker, who had been ordained into the ministry several years earlier, was received by the board and congregation as the successor to his father.

        In the summer of 1972 the first addition to the dining hall was completed. The original dining hall became the kitchen, and a 28 foot by 30 foot extension became the new dining area. Two restrooms with shower facilities and a roof extension on the west and north sides of the kitchen were also constructed. Don Link from Grandview, Iowa was the general contractor for this job.

        In the summer of 1978 the Church made another 28 foot by 30 foot addition to the dining hall. Tom Downs from Winfield was the general contractor and Bud and Maxine Thorton from Wapello were the electricians.

        Tents which were owned by W.G.Koontz and James Salvador were used for the Old Time Camp meeting in 1958 and 1959. In 1960, Pastor C.W.Walker purchased a 30 foot by 60 foot tent which was used for several years and then traded for a 40 foot by 60 foot tent. When the Camp meetings started to outgrow the size of the tent in the early 70’s, Pastor Gary started renting tents or inviting Evangelists who owned their own tents. In June of 1980 the Church purchased a truck and tent equipment, including 300 chairs, from Evangelist Charles Williams for $1,500. A short time later, in July, 1980, the Church purchased a 60 foot by 120 foot canvas from Sigmond Brothers in Keokuk, Iowa for $5,000.

        The Church was ready for its first major expansion after about two years of planning and saving. Pastor Gary was assisted during the period by the Church Board; Robert Rude, Carl Carlson, Vernie Moore, and John Ramsey. To start the project, the Church (the old former two-room school house) had to be moved approximately 15 feet north and 40 feet east. Warren Johnston of Mediapolis, Iowa was contacted to do this. In the fall of 1979 the big job began. Even though the plans were to finish the moving job that fall, it was March 20, 1980 before the old building was finally placed on it new foundation. While the building was being moved services were conducted in the Church dining hall.

        The remainder of 1980 and all of 1981 were spent building the new Church. Pastor Gary Walker was the designer and general contractor for the job. The cement work was subcontracted to Ronald Haight of Mediapolis, Iowa. The framing and structure was subcontracted to John Crooks of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The plumbing, heating and cooling was subcontracted to Kenneth and Edward Peters of Columbus Junction, Iowa. Bud and Maxine Thornton of Wapello, Iowa were the electrical subcontractors. Jerry Lanifier of Muscatine, Iowa did the sheetrock and plastering. Tom Downs of Winfield, Iowa handled all of the inside and outside finish work. Pastor Gary and members of the Church did the painting, staining and varnishing. Orville Collier of Columbus City, Iowa was of major help during this stage. The carpet was installed by Carriage House Carpets of Grandview, Iowa. The pews, pulpit, and communion table were purchased from J and H Custom Furniture of Pindall, Arkansas. The insulation was done by Amos Borntrager of Kalona, Iowa. The lighting came from B.L. Robinson in Burlington, Iowa. The Baptristry was purchased from Wiedeman’s in Muscatine, Iowa. The brick and stone work was done by John Kuisle of Burlington, Iowa.

        After 25 months of hard work, the Church was ready for dedication. The date was set for Sunday, November…

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…29, 1981. Reverend D.L. Browning of Des Moines, Iowa was the dedication speaker. Honorary dedication speaker was Reverend Virgil Elliott of Mt. Union, Iowa. Each of the Church Board members and Past Gary Walker participated in the dedication service. The Board members were Robert Rude, Lou Ibbotson, Nadine Reynolds, and Vernie Moore. Other participants in this festive service were Reverend John DeBoef, The Spiritual Vibrations, Dr. Robert Streblow, The Gary Walker Singers, Reverend Ernest Grimm, Reverend Richard White, and the founder’s wife, Mrs. Idabel Walker.

        Church members were thrilled to be part of large crowds as they celebrated the Church’s 24th anniversary on the weekend of December 1st. The new sanctuary, with a seating capacity of 275 was filled, and two overflow rooms were used to accommodate the crowd. Two Hinson concerts drew the largest crowds, with attendance in excess of 400.

        In May of 1984 the Church purchased a 60 passenger Sunday School bus. With the help of this bus the Church made strong growth from 1983 through 1985. During this period Linda McKillip was Sunday School and Super Church Secretary and Treasurer, and Dennis and Mary Newton were Super Church Directors. Pam Kerr was the bus Pastor and Robert Rude was the driver.

        The Church held its 32 Annual Old-Time Camp meeting on July 28, 1989. The Annual Camp meeting have grown to the Iowa’s largest Interdenominational Family Camp meeting, drawing what some have referred to as tremendous crowds.

        On February 2, 1992, Rev. Richard White, first Assistant Pastor was added to the staff.

        Robert Eston Rude, who died February 29, 1992, left as $25,000 life insurance policy to the church which paid the “new” church loan off on April 27, 1992. The balance of the loan was $18,023.06. A special mortgage burning service was celebrated on Sunday, July 5, 1992. At the same time Roland piano was also dedicated in memory of Mr. Rude.

Picture: Fredonia Independent Full Gospel Church

Picture: Rev. and Mrs. Cleatis W. Walker

Picutre: Gary Walkers Singers, 1981
L-R: Robert Rude, Eldon Carter, Gary Walker, Bill Aquino

Picture: Rev. Gary Walker

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Picture: Dennis Newton, Bob Rude, Pam Kerr with Sunday school kids in front of church bus

Picture: Ground breaking for new church, Sunday, Aug. 5, 1979.
L-R: Vernie Moore, Carl Carlsen, Pastor Gary Walker, Robert Rude, John Crooks (contractor).

Picture: Setting the corner stone August 29, 1982.
L-R: Tomas Salazar, Sr., Board member, Nadine Reynolds, Board member, Gary Walker, Pastor, Vernie Moore, Board member, Robert Rude, Board member.